Former Decatur pitcher Bryce Elder was 8-11 in his third full Major League season, recording a 5.30 earned run average through 156,1 innings with 131 strikeouts and 51 walks. The Braves (76-86) missed the 2025 MLB Postseason after a fourth-place finish in the National League East Division. KEVIN LILES | ATLANTA BRAVES

Decatur native Bryce Elder started the 2025 season on the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate Gwinnett Stripers’ roster. However, the former Eagle pitcher quickly established himself as a part of the Braves’ starting rotation due to the team’s injuries.

Elder recently finished his third full Major League season, recording an 8-11 record in 28 starts. He tallied a 5.30 earned run average through 156.1 innings with 131 strikeouts and 51 walks, while allowing 167 hits, 95 runs and 24 home runs. 

With injuries plaguing the Braves’ roster throughout the 2025 campaign, Atlanta (76-86) missed the MLB playoffs for the second straight season after placing fourth in the National League East Division behind the Philadelphia Phillies (96-66), New York Mets (83-79) and Miami Marlins (79-83). The Phillies were the division’s only team to clinch a postseason berth — finishing 20 games ahead of Atlanta. 

The Braves were also left out of the hunt for a NL Wildcard bid, as the Chicago Cubs (92-70), San Diego Padres (90-72) and Cincinnati Reds (83-79) claimed the league’s three spots. The Braves were seven games back in the Wildcard hunt, placing behind the Mets, San Francisco Giants (81-81), Arizona Diamondbacks (80-82), Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals (78-84).       

Elder struggled on the mound throughout the season, but served as one of the Braves’ best pitchers down the stretch. In September, he made five starts, finishing 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA, amassing 32 strikeouts and four walks.

The former Decatur ace set a new career-high in strikeouts with 12, allowing one run on three hits in eight innings, drawing a no-decision in a 3-2 loss to the Giants June 7 at San Francisco’s Oracle Park.

Elder was 0-2 with an 8.76 ERA in three starts with Gwinnett before being called up by the Braves for the second time this season on June 1. 

For his Major League career, Elder is 24-24 in 79 appearances (78 starts) with a 4.58 ERA, 352 strikeouts and 154 walks in 434.2 innings.

The Braves will be under new management in the 2026 season after former skipper Brian Snitker stepped down Oct. 1 to accept an advisory role with the club.

Snitker’s run with the Braves began as a catcher in 1997. Three years later, former farm director Hank Aaron made him a coach within the organization. Snitker served as the manager of the Single-A Anderson Braves in 1982, and held many different roles in the organization before being named Atlanta’s interim manager during the 2016 season. 

In 2018, Snitker was named NL Manager of the Year. He led the Braves to the 2021 World Series title in a 4-2 series win over the Houston Astros.